Friday, January 30, 2004

WSJ.com - The End: Pixar Breaks Up With Distribution Partner Disney

WSJ.com - The End: Pixar Breaks Up With Distribution Partner Disney "In an unhappy ending to what has sometimes been called the most successful partnership in Hollywood, Pixar Animation Studios delivered a stunning blow to Walt Disney Co. by ending talks to extend their lucrative and long-running distribution deal for Pixar's computer-animated films.
The move is a high-profile setback for Disney Chairman and Chief Executive Michael Eisner, whose company often has relied heavily on Pixar smashes like "Finding Nemo" to generate the profit Disney's own animated films couldn't produce in recent years.
The tense relationship between Mr. Eisner and Pixar Chief Executive Steve Jobs often has been seen as an obstacle to any continuation of the Pixar-Disney relationship. Pixar will be a Disney competitor, rather than a partner, beginning in 2006."

Negotiation, Steve Jobs style: first, you fire your CEO. Then have your new CEO call me to negotiate new terms.

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